Architects in Yorkshire confirm best ways to increase value in your home
Experienced architects in Yorkshire can be sure of one thing.
That is, increasing value in a home while extending, improving or remodelling is a priority for almost all clients.
Everyone wants to ensure house improvements are worth making, regardless of how long they plan to stay in the property.
The market for architects in Yorkshire
Ever since the financial crash of 2009, our architects in Yorkshire have seen increased demand for remodelling, residential extensions and home improvement projects.
That’s because many of our clients have wanted to ‘improve, not move.’
Families still grow and have new requirements from their home, even when the lack of property stock and soaring costs makes selling more challenging.
The housing crisis shows no sign of abating any time soon, with 99 per cent mortgages reportedly on the table in the spring Budget.
Housing reforms and a to boost homebuilding will likely be a key area of discussion in the upcoming general election.
Meanwhile, our expertise means we can transform a property with a design which doesn’t currently work into one which meets your family’s every need.
Surprise winner in Yorkshire property table
New figures from The Office of National Statistics have confirmed the average house price in the UK dropped by 2.1 per cent in December 2023.
However in Wakefield, where Studio J is based, the district topped the Yorkshire chart for house price growth with a year-on-year rise of 2.7 per cent.
That brought the average house price in the area to £203,331.
Across Yorkshire, Calderdale saw the second greatest increase in house price growth with 1.7 per cent, with the East Riding at 1.4 per cent.
Kirklees’ house prices and Rotherham house prices rose slightly.
But in York and Sheffield, sold values fell by 4.9 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively.
These two cities were the areas with the greatest falls in average property prices in Yorkshire.
More bedrooms means more value
Despite being a Wakefield architect, we can’t claim credit for house price rises, or provide clear insight into why they have shot up.
But we can confirm one of the top ways to add value to your home is to increase the number of bedrooms it has.
Going from two bedrooms to three bedrooms, or four to five, with an extension will increase the price of your property when it comes to selling and push you onto the next rung of the property ladder.
However, when it comes to larger properties with five, six or seven bedrooms, square footage and extra living spaces becomes more of a consideration.
The desirability factor at play
In recent times, most people prioritise extending the downstairs of their property to create bigger kitchens or open-plan dining and living spaces.
This has a drastic impact on how desirable a property is to a buyer. In general, if buyers are comparing two properties with a view to purchasing, they will choose the one which already has the most modern living space.
If, for example, you spend £50,000 on this kind of extension, you will likely get those costs back, but it is unlikely you will see any significant additional financial gain at sale time.
Our architects in Yorkshire service is bespoke
A quick caveat: all of the above is project dependent.
All homes are site specific.
So an extension at a three-bedroom semi detached house built on a slope will require a different approach from one which is on a level setting.
Homeowners also have different requirements – one may only want a breakfast bar for dining, while another desires significant entertainment space. A modern barn conversion is another beast entirely.
Just as each project is different, so are the benefits.
The rise of the home office
Bespoke home offices are in huge demand after the way we work evolved during the Covid-19 lockdowns to become more remote.
Our local architects have experience in creating offices for both parents and home-schooled children to use.
We’ve built dual offices for two fully remote workers and converted garages into customer-facing business spaces.
These tailored home offices, unlike a desk in an unused corner, will likely add value and desirability to a property.
Some people even choose to build a dedicated office structure in their garden.
Whatever approach you take, working from home is here to stay, and families want to shut the door on work the rest of the time.
So we expect home offices to be a crucial consideration in improving homes for the foreseeable future.
Meet our architects in Yorkshire
The team at Studio J has reams of experience in creating luxury family homes, new build houses and dream properties through innovative extensions as Leeds architects.
We’d love to help add value – and long-term viability – to your place.
Book in for a chat with our experts to find out more.
